Obsession
by RiverStyx1232
Summary: How did Richard Fenton's obsession with Donna begin? Prom Night 2008 Chapter 12 is up. Thanks for the reviews, so far!
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Ever wonder how Richard Fenton's obsession for Donna began

**Summary: **Ever wonder how Richard Fenton's obsession for Donna began?

"Donna, what classes are you taking?"

Donna looked up from the horror novel at the sound of her best friend's voice. She smiled and motioned for the curly-haired girl to join her. "It's going to be a long semester. I've got chemistry with the new teacher, Fenton something, first class."

Lisa waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Why are you complaining? I've heard that he has a nice ass to admire."

Donna's eyes widened as she giggled. "Lisa! He's probably some fifty year old man with bad B.O."

Lisa shrugged innocently. "If you don't believe me, see for yourself." Donna followed her gaze to a group of nearby teachers.

"Which one am I looking for?"

"The dark-haired one, with the biker beard."

Donna spotted the young man in the dark suit. She wrinkled her nose at his scraggly hair. "You think he's attractive?"

She twisted around to find Lisa staring at her mischievously. Realization that she had just been the victim of a prank struck hard. "You set me up!" She cried with a soft chuckle.

Lisa grinned. "You're so easy."

The shrill bell rang interrupting them. Donna quickly gathered her books and waved 'goodbye' as she walked down the crowded hallway. She quickly found the second-floor classroom and took the only available located in the back of the room.

Donna thought of her earlier conversation with Lisa and suppressed a giggle as the scraggly-haired teacher let the door fall shut behind him.

"Is this everyone?" He asked in a soft voice as he stood behind his desk. "Let me introduce myself for those of you who haven't met me, I'm Mr. Fenton. I'll be replacing Mrs. Murphy while she's away for the year." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Let's get started. I'm going to call role. Answer 'here' as I read your name."

Donna glanced around the room as he read through the list. She was disappointed not to see any familiar faces.

"Donna Keppel?"

She snapped her gaze towards the front to find Mr. Fenton staring intently. She blushed and quickly answered, "Here." He stared for another moment before continuing. Donna shrugged it off and returned to her thoughts.

After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang, officially ending Mr. Fenton's boring discussion on the periodic table. Donna gathered her things and made a beeline for the door.

"Donna," Mr. Fenton called.

Donna stopped two feet from the door. She turned back and raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Hmmm?"

He walked around his desk and used it to lean against. "I looked over some of the assessments while the others finished up, and I must say, I'm surprised at how well you did compared to the others students. I'm going to talk to your other teachers about moving you to my honors class, last period. I think you'll do better there."

Unsure of what to say, Donna awkwardly responded, "Thank you."

"I don't want to take up more of your break than I already have, so meet me here after school. We'll talk about it more then." He placed his hand between her shoulder blades and walked her to the door. "Good work," he smiled before pulling his hand away and returning to his desk.

**Author's Note: **This is just a short chapter to get started. If anyone is interested, I need a beta. Constructive criticism with helpful advice, or ideas is always welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

The day went by quickly

**A/N**: I did some major revamping to chapter two because I wasn't satisfied with it at all. Any constructive criticism is welcome.

The day went by quickly. Two projects and three papers later, Donna was ready to kill anyone who even looked at her funny. She made a quick stop at her locker for her backpack. She flipped through her planner for the list of homework and mentally cursed as she remembered that she had a meeting with Mr. Fenton.

She checked the time on her cellular phone and sighed. The bus had left ten minutes ago. She hadn't meant to spend that much time in the school library. She slammed the locker door in frustration and took a deep breath, calming herself. She'd meet Mr. Fenton and then call Lisa for a ride.

She made her way through the maze of hallways, and up the stairs to the second floor. She found Mr. Fenton in his room hanging a poster of the periodic elements. Before she could open her mouth to speak, he cut her off. "I was wondering if you had forgotten to meet me. I was going to leave very soon."

"Oh", Donna replied uncomfortably. She changed the subject. "I can't stay long. I need to be home soon."

Fenton stood back to admire the poster. After a brief pause, he shook his head as if coming out of a trance and finally turned to face her. "You sound frustrated."

Donna smiled politely and lied. "I've got a lot of homework to start."

He studied her for a moment. "And you missed the bus," he said pointedly.

Donna did a double take. "How did you know I take the bus?"

He smiled knowingly. "I saw you riding it this morning." Unsure of what to say she nodded in response. He sat on the corner of the desk. "What other classes are you taking?"

"English, Algebra, and History." She replied.

He let out a low whistle. "You've got a full load this semester. You'll get through it."

"Thanks." She motioned to the poster he had just hung, "I see you finally found it."

He chuckled. "I finally found it mixed with some other boxes. At least now you won't have to endure my poor drawing skills."

Lisa smiled. "Have you talked with the other teachers about my schedule?"

"Right. I talked with your teachers and the principal," he spoke as he fidgeted with his beard. "Your teachers agree that you should be in the honors class. As far as rearranging you're schedule, you'll need to see Mrs. Hancock in the office Monday morning."

He picked up a textbook from his desk and held it out for her to take. "This is you're new book. Chapter one is due by Monday."

She awkwardly took the book from his outstretched hand, accidentally brushing against his fingers as she did. An unreadable expression flickered across his face and was quickly replaced with a sheepish grin. For a second, she wondered if he was attempting to flirt with her. She quickly smothered the thought. He was her teacher; he was only trying to be nice.

"If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask me. Everyone has my e-mail address. It's at the top of the syllabus I passed out this morning."

Donna nodded as she walked to the door. "Thank you, Mr. Fenton. See you Monday."

She stopped in the hallway to cram her textbook into her book bag. The echo of footsteps in the empty hallway caused her to turn around. Mr. Fenton was walking towards her. He stopped a few feet away. "I'm glad I caught you. Do you have a ride, yet?"

Donna zipped her book bag shut and slid it onto her shoulder as she stood. She turned to face him. "I'm actually about to call one of my friends."

He held up a hand. "Why don't you save the phone call? I'll be ready to leave in about five minutes and I can give you a ride."

Donna politely protested. "That's nice of you to offer, but I live a little ways away. I don't want to put you out of your way."

He argued back. "All the more reason for me to give you a ride. What if you're friend doesn't answer? I'm not letting one of my students walk home. There are too many dangerous people in this world and in case you haven't looked outside, there are storm clouds on the horizon."

She thought about arguing again, but decided that he was right. Her parents would not leave work for two more hours and she really didn't want to walk six miles home. She nodded in defeat. "Alright."

He placed his hand on her shoulder and led her to the classroom. "Let me gather my things and I'll be ready."

She nodded while wondering if she should call Lisa for the ride anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I want to say thanks to those of you who have been following along and reviewing

**A/N: **I want to say thanks to those of you who have been following along and reviewing. I know it's been a couple of days since I've updated, I've been sick. Here's a short little something until I can write more.

He watched her as she walked up her drive, allowing his gaze to travel over her body. He briefly wondered what it would be like to run his fingers through that long silky blonde hair. She was only a few feet from the door. Two days until Monday. Richard hadn't known her very long and was already wishing he could see her again.

He wasn't sure what made him decide to ignore the cautionary voice inside of his head. It was a strange mixture of lust and something else he couldn't quite grasp. He slid his cellular out of his pocket and snapped a quick picture of her before she could disappear inside.

She turned around. He dropped the phone into the floorboards as he shifted the gear into 'drive'. He waited until her house was out of site before pulling over.

He fumbled in the floorboards for his phone. Something soft brushed against his skin, causing him to look down. Her jacket, she had left it behind. She might need it.

He shook his head. He'd return it Monday. He found his cell phone and picked it up to admire the picture he had taken. It had turned out better than expected. The camera captured her as she was turning around. He slid the phone into his pocket. He'd delete the picture later.

Richard eyed Donna's jacket again. He mentally debated whether to return the jacket today, or wait until Monday. Screw it. He'd take it back today. After all, the weather forecasters had predicted a cold front coming through. She might not have another jacket.

Donna watched Mr. Fenton drive away. She wondered if she should have offered him gas money for taking her home. She shrugged. She would deal with it Monday.

She was glad to be home after a long day. Her nine-year-old brother was spending the night with a friend and her parents would not be home for another three hours. She went through the embedded routine of taking her shoes off at the door. Mom had never liked messy floors.

She deposited her book bag on the bed. A boom of thunder sliced through the silence. Donna ignored it and began pulling out her books. The lights flickered off leaving only the dim light from outside to guide her.

Donna groaned. The breaker in the basement would have to be reset. She let her eyes adjust to the dim light before slowly making her way to the kitchen for a flashlight. She would never admit it to anyone, but she hated going into the dark basement by herself.

She would have to go around to the outside entrance. The key to the doorway in the kitchen had been lost and dad kept forgetting to hire a locksmith. She made a mental note to remind him when he came home.

She slid her shoes on and yanked open the front door. She simultaneously gasped and stepped back. Mr. Fenton was standing with his fist raised, ready to knock.

Donna cleared her throat in an effort to calm herself. "Mr. Fenton."

He stared at her in confusion. "That was random."

She nodded in agreement. "Did you forget something?"

"Actually", he replied coyly, "you did." He held out her jacket for her to take.

Donna chuckled at herself. "Thanks. I hadn't realized that I left it."

He looked at her curiously. Donna followed his gaze to the flashlight. "Oh, the power went out. I have to reset the breaker in the basement."

"I'll go with you." He offered.

"Sure." Secretly, she was grateful for the company, even if her only companion looked like a biker gang reject.

"Ladies first," he motioned for her to lead the way. She draped her coat on the nearby display case and shut the door behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

Donna eyed the oncoming storm clouds uneasily; tonight would be a rough one

**Author's Note: **Here is a short update just to let you know that I will be finishing the story. Thanks for the reviews and compliments. I appreciated it.

Donna eyed the oncoming storm clouds uneasily; tonight would be a rough one. She shoved the thought aside. She would worry about the storm after resetting the breaker.

She led the way around the house to the basement door. She motioned down the steps. "Be careful on the steps, they're slippe--" Her warning was cut off as her left foot slid beneath her on the top stair well causing her to land hard, on her butt.

Her cheeks burned as Mr. Fenton let out a snort of laughter from behind. "What were you saying?" he asked teasingly.

Donna glared at him as he helped her to her feet. She yanked her hand away from his and brushed herself off. "Just watch your step," she huffed as she switched the flashlight on and made her way down the steps.

She stopped at the bottom of the steps to orient herself. She remembered that the breaker was somewhere to the left. She followed the light with the wall until she spotted the silver box.

A hot breath brushed against her ear. Mr. Fenton was standing close beside her. She ignored it. He probably didn't want to get lost in the dark. "The breaker is over here. I'll be right back." She flipped the switch and was glad to see the basement light flicker on.

She switched the flashlight off and made her way back to the steps. Mr. Fenton gave her a mischievous smirk. "After you, I'll catch you if you slip again."

Donna rolled her eyes and brushed past him. She just hoped that he wouldn't bring it up in front of everyone on Monday.

She changed the subject as they walked around the house. "Thanks for going with me."

He nodded in response. "I'm surprised there isn't an easier way into the basement." He said curiously.

Donna explained to him about the missing key. He nodded in understanding. He placed a hand on her arm, stopping her at the porch. "Don't go back down there by yourself if the power goes out. I'd hate to send homework to the hospital."

She gave him a half-hearted grin. "Don't worry." His gaze lingered for a moment before he said, "Goodbye" and walked away.

She almost felt bad for making fun of him with Lisa. He looked scraggly, but he had been helpful. A little too helpful, a voice whispered in her mind. She brushed it aside. He would have done the same thing for any other student.

A raindrop splashed against her head, drawing her back to reality. She raced inside barely missing the hoards of raindrops falling against the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

Richard had forced himself to walk away

Richard had forced himself to walk away. It had been a struggle not to turn back to glance at her once more as he walked to his truck. He chuckled to himself as he remembered her on the staircase; the way her light blue eyes flashed with anger, it was almost erotic.

Without thinking, he settled down onto his sofa and found himself admiring her picture on his cell phone. It was a shame he wouldn't be able to snap a few more of her.

The cell phone rang, jarring him from his thoughtful revere. It was tempting to let it ring, but he still fumbled to answer it. "Mr. Fenton."

A female voice with a thick southern drawl spoke, "Mr. Fenton, this is Amy Hancock."

He forced the irritation from being interrupted out of his voice. "Mrs. Hancock, how are you?" He asked politely.

"I'll be alright if this storm passes quickly. I've been warned that we might get some hail." He rolled his eyes. He didn't want to make conversation with her. As if reading his mind, Mrs. Hancock stopped talking. "Sorry, I realize you must have plans of your own."

He forced the polite tone again. "It's no trouble. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm calling in regards to one of your students, Donna Keppel."

Mr. Fenton perked up at the sound of her name. "What about her?"

"Another teacher mentioned seeing her get into you're vehicle with you this afternoon after school."

"Oh, yes!" He exclaimed as if remembering. "She missed the bus and needed a ride home."

Mrs. Hancock spoke softly, "I understand that; however, I do need to remind you that if she needs a ride home again, you'll need parents' permission, or another faculty member to ride with you."

He softened his voice. "I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds with the school, but it was about to rain and she mentioned that she lived a few miles away."

"I know it was innocent, but after the news announced that a female teacher slept with her younger student, we've been under tremendous pressure from parents. If she does need a ride again, call her parents first."

Anger surged through him. He wondered what teacher had watched him drive away with her. He forced the charm into his voice. "I meant no harm, Mrs. Hancock. I'll be sure to alert her parents and the staff next time. Good bye." He barely waited to hear Mrs. Hancock say, 'Goodbye' before slamming the phone shut.

He seethed for a moment. He steadied his breathing and looked at her picture again. He would get to see her again Monday.


	6. Chapter 6

"He did what

"He did what?" Lisa exclaimed through the cell phone.

Donna nodded as if Lisa could see her. "Yes, he walked into the basement with me to help me find the breaker."

"That doesn't sound like he's just being nice." Lisa said pointedly. "It almost sounds like he has a little crush on you."

Donna leaned back against the headboard of her bed. "That thought did cross my mind, but I'm sure he was just looking out for one of his students. Besides, he's probably got a wife and three children waiting for him at home."

"What kind of shampoo do you think he uses for his beard?" Lisa asked slyly.

Donna snorted in laughter. "No more beard jokes."

Lisa changed the subject. "While we're talking about crushes, Ronnie Heflin asked me if I was going to the football game Friday."

Donna grinned. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that I would think about it. He also mentioned going to dinner with a couple of friends afterwards. Are you interested?"

Donna rifled through the open books beside her, deciding. "I still have some homework due next week, but I'm sure I can finish it, or have it almost finished before Friday. What time are we meeting?"

Lisa's tone perked up. "The game starts at 8:00. My mom can take us there and Ronnie offered a ride home."

Donna grinned as Lisa explained the details. "I have a strong suspicion that you knew I would say 'yes'."

Lisa ignored the accusation. "My mom's home. I have to help with dinner. See you tomorrow."

Donna clicked the cellular phone shut and laid it on her nightstand.

"Who was that?" A voice asked, startling her. She looked up at the blonde haired woman standing in the doorway.

Donna smiled. "Mom, it's called knocking."

Mrs. Keppel grinned. "Sorry." She motioned to the cell phone. "Who was that on the phone?"

"Oh, Lisa asked me to go to the ballgame with her and a few friends Friday."

Her glanced at the open books scattered on the bed. "Just make sure it doesn't interfere with homework, especially with the new chemistry class you'll be taking tomorrow."

Donna began stacking the books. "I won't. I'm sure I can have most of it done before Friday."

"Who's taking you?"

Donna glanced back up. "Lisa's mom is taking us there. Ronnie Heflin offered to give us a ride after the game. We'll probably go out for dinner."

Mrs. Keppel eyed her suspiciously. "Just make sure that 'dinner' doesn't last past midnight."

Donna gave a half-hearted grin and watched her mom walk away.


	7. Chapter 7

Richard found difficult to concentrate on the computer monitor in front of him

Richard found difficult to concentrate on the computer monitor in front of him. His thoughts kept drifting back to the young blonde who would be in his class tomorrow. He still had the picture of her on his cell phone. He had thought about deleting it numerous times, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He would keep it for just a little while longer.

He had spotted her in the grocery store yesterday. She was with an older woman who bore a striking resemblance. Her mother, he guessed. He had watched for a moment while the two meandered through the aisle.

He noticed that Donna had a bad habit of chewing on her lower lip when she was thinking. She would scar her lip by doing that. He had been tempted to say, 'Hello', but he had been bitterly torn away when someone rammed against his side with a shopping cart. By the time he had managed to escape the apologetic old man, Donna had already left the store. He wondered if she had seen him.

The computer beeped, drawing his attention back to the monitor. It was an e-mail from Mrs. Hancock reminding everyone of the upcoming football game and asking if anyone would like to carpool. He promptly rolled his eyes. He would rather shoot himself than be trapped in the car for two hours with the annoying secretary.

He glanced at the clock on the wall beside him: 11:00 P.M. He finished scanning his e-mails and tore himself away from the computer. Tomorrow would be a busy day.

He settled into bed, while thinking about his last class of the day. He would get to see her again.

Author's Note: I know this is a short chapter, but my muse hit me in between classes. I'll update more soon.


	8. Chapter 8

The alarm clock loudly pierced the silence while obnoxiously rousing Donna from her much needed slumber

The alarm clock obnoxiously roused Donna from her much needed slumber. She instinctively rolled over and fumbled around for the off switch on the alarm.

The brightly lit numbers glared into her eyes: 5:15 A.M. The bus would be arriving at 6:30. With her parents already on the way to work, she couldn't afford to miss it. She also had to stop and get her new schedule from Mrs. Hancock in the office.

She reluctantly sat up and tossed the warm covers aside. Without warning the overhead light was switched on. Before her eyes could adjust she was tackled to the bed. "Good morning, sunshine!" a giggly voice cried.

Donna growled in frustration and tossed her brother to the side. She stood up and towered over the small boy. "Joey, get out of my room!" she yelled.

The bouncing boy lay back on the bed in a fit of laughter. Donna angrily reached for her pillow and used it to whack him on the head. Joey quickly retaliated by grabbing one of the decorative pillows and swatting her on the side.

She couldn't fight the grin that crossed her face as the two fought one another. She swatted him a few more times before finally calling a 'truce'. Joey bounced out of the room as she reached for her clothes, a pair of blue jeans with a light blue v-neck t-shirt and headed for the shower.

She wouldn't have to worry about Joey getting ready for school. Mom always made sure that he had homework, clothes laid out, and a packed lunch the night before. She knew that he would wait for her when he was ready.

He had learned his lesson about leaving the house alone. Two years ago, one of the neighbor's dogs had cornered him while he had stubbornly tried to walk to school by himself. Donna had been the one to scare the dog away and kept him from being bitten. If he hadn't been so scared, she might have mocked him afterwards.

Forty-five minutes later she stood back and glanced at herself in the bedroom mirror. She had effectively managed to add a few curls to her normally straight hair and was proud of the way it looked. Lisa had found the hairstyle in a magazine a few days ago and had suggested it.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned. The bus would be here soon. She quickly slid her blue and pink Puma shoes on and gathered her book bag before racing out the door.

Joey met her at front door. She immediately noticed the loosely tied shoelaces he still struggled with. She rolled her eyes, but still bent down to tie them. "When are you going to learn to tie your shoes better, dork?"

He immediately protested. "Don't call me a dork. I still had them tied."

She snorted and pointed to his re-tied shoes. "Look, the trick is to double knot them, otherwise they come untied after only a few minutes of walking."

"Can I sit with you on the bus?"

She glared at him. "No."

She ignored his whining as she ushered him out and locked the door behind them.

Emily Hughes from chemistry motioned to the empty seat beside her. Donna gratefully accepted the invitation from the athletically built redhead. She really didn't care to hear about Shrek from Joey again. He had seen the movie for the first time about a week ago and had become obsessed with it.

Emily moved closer to the window as she sat down. She motioned to Donna's newly styled hair and laughed. "You want curls and I want my hair to be straight. Let's just swap."

Donna smiled. "Maybe one day you'll let me help you use a flat iron for straight hair."

Emily wrinkled her nose. "Thanks, but no thanks. My mother used a flat iron for years and now her hair is fried. I think I'll just deal with the curls." She changed the subject. "Did you finish the problems in the book?"

Donna shook her head. She quickly explained her change her class schedule.

The bus pulled into the school parking lot before they could continue the conversation. Donna waved goodbye and made her way to the main office for her new schedule.

She found Mrs. Hancock sorting through the Rolodex on her desk. Donna let her gaze travel to the older woman's scar from a cleft lip. She felt sorry for the woman having such a large mark and for being unable to do anything about it.

Mrs. Hancock glanced up. Donna quickly averted her gaze. "Good morning, Donna."

"Good morning, Mrs. Hancock," she replied politely.

"I've got your new schedule ready." Mrs. Hancock rifled through a small stack of papers on her desk until she found the schedule. She placed it in Donna's outstretched hand.

Donna thanked her and turned towards the door.

"One more thing, Donna."

Donna turned back to face her. "I realize that you didn't have a ride Friday, but Mr. Fenton cannot be responsible for taking you home without consent from your parents."

Donna immediately felt a twinge of guilt. Had he gotten into trouble because of her? "Mrs. Hancock, he did nothing wrong. It was about to rain--"

Mrs. Hancock held up a hand to silence her. "Mr. Fenton is not in trouble and neither are you. It's a protocol we like to enforce just in case someone gets the wrong idea."

Donna nodded. She walked down the hallway for her first class, lost in her thoughts. Not only did Lisa think he was too close, but apparently someone else did too. She wondered if he really did have a crush, or if he was just a nice teacher who went out of the way for his students?

She stopped her English class and shoved the thought aside. She didn't have to worry about him until her last class.

A/N: I suppose I should add another disclaimer. I don't own anything from Puma brand shoes or anything from the movie the Shrek.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: I'm not 100 satisfied with my two previous chapters, so I may be going back and changing them

**Author's Note: I'm not 100 satisfied with my two previous chapters, so I may be going back and changing them. For now… here's another update.**

The clock ticked by slowly for him as he absently rambled on about which elements bonded with others and why. Thankfully, most of his students had already tuned him out and hadn't noticed how much he was glancing at the clock. The few that were paying attention probably assumed that he was calculating how much time he had left to bore them with his lecture.

The shrill bell made his heart race. He quickly shouted out a homework assignment and eagerly dismissed the class. He scanned the crowd of students entering the room for her. The remaining students trickled in slowly. He frowned. Where was she?

He turned back to the unenthusiastic group of students before him and slowly began to call roll. He feigned surprise when he called Donna's name. No reply. He looked up from the roster at the class. "Has anyone seen Donna?"

Kelly McIntosh in the back row hesitantly raised her hand. "She checked out during third period, something about an upset stomach."

Richard tried to hide his disappointment. He had seen her in the office earlier and she seemed fine. Had the cafeteria food made her sick? He suddenly realized that he was still in the middle of calling roll and finished the list of names.

He painfully drudged through the lesson and welcomed the final bell. He rushed through last-minute questions, not really caring if he helped or not and packed up his belongings.

By the time he walked to his truck he had already decided to drive by her house just to check on her. What if she was by herself and needed something? He couldn't leave her alone while she was sick.

He cranked the ignition and drove towards her house. He drove by slowly, surveying the scene. There were no cars in the driveway. He circled around the neighborhood and drove back towards her house again. This time he parked a little ways away.

He wasn't sure what kind of car her parents drove, but no one seemed to be home. He switched the truck off and leaned back against the seat. Why did he come? What would he even say if she answered the door? He didn't have a legitimate excuse to see her.

He thought for a moment before reaching into his brief case for his memo pad and a pen. He would leave her a note. He thought for a moment before writing, _Heard you were sick. Missed you today. _He was tempted to sign his name, but decided against it. Instead, he folded up the note and jammed it into his pocket. He would speak to her tomorrow.


	10. Chapter 10

Donna sat gasping on the bathroom floor. The soup she had attempted to eat had not helped with her upset stomach. She flushed the toilet and pulled herself off the floor. She avoided touching her face with her hands before she washed them.

She hated being sick. She was sure that it was the school meatloaf that had made her like this. She had felt fine when she had woken up this morning.

She dried her hands off and dragged herself back to her bedroom. She made sure to pull the garbage can close to the bed. She settled under the covers. Before she could close her eyes the doorbell obnoxiously chimed.

She groaned and pulled herself from the bed. She glanced at herself in the mirror before leaving the room. She looked like a wreck. Her ponytail was coming loose. Her grey sweatpants and white tank top were that she had changed into were wrinkled and her mascara had smeared a little on her eye. She quickly wiped if off and made her way to the front door. Her stomach cramped again. She ignored it.

The doorbell chimed again. She rolled her eyes at the visitor's impatience. She had to stand on her bare tiptoes to peer through the peephole. She pulled back in surprise. Mr. Fenton was standing on her front porch. Didn't the man ever go home?

She tried her best not to look confused when she opened the door. "Mr. Fenton," she greeted.

He smiled sheepishly. "I heard you left early. I thought I would tell you what you had missed."

She forced a polite grin. "You didn't have to come out here for that. I would have picked them up tomorrow." She was too distracted by her stomach to think about why he hadn't e-mailed her, or left a message on the phone instead of coming to her house empty handed. She felt her stomach muscles tighten and fought the urge to vomit in the doorway.

"Excuse me," she gasped and hurried back to the bathroom. She made to the toilet without a second to spare. She wished her stomach would stop cramping. She was briefly reminded of when her brother had watched a movie with aliens that popped out of someone's stomach and wondered if this was how it felt before it happened.

She finished and aimlessly reached for toilet paper to wipe her mouth. She nearly jumped when Mr. Fenton handed her a paper towel from the kitchen. She hesitantly accepted it. "Thank you," she said politely.

She quickly wiped her mouth and discarded the paper towel in the toilet. Without asking Mr. Fenton was already putting his hand on her arm and pulling her to her feet. "Let me help you up."

She suddenly remembered what Lisa had said about him having a crush. She was beginning to believe her. What if someone saw him park outside of her house and had the wrong impression? She could imagine the rumors spreading about him being a creep and she as easy. She shuddered at the thought.

Mr. Fenton misinterpreted her shudder. "Are you cold?"

Before she could respond he had the back of his hand pressed against her forehead. He frowned. "You do feel a little warm. Maybe you should lie down some."

Donna resisted the urge to tell him that she had been lying down when he rang the doorbell. "I will. Let me walk you to the door."

Without meeting his gaze she pulled her arm free and stepped past out. She didn't have to turn around to know that he was following her. She could hear the rustle of his clothing behind her.

She pulled the front door open and finally made eye contact with him. "I'll get the assignments from you tomorrow."

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I hope you feel better tomorrow. I wouldn't want you to miss class a second time."

She lifted the corner of her lip into a half-hearted grin. "It's probably just a 24 hour bug. I'll be fine."

He gave her shoulder a little rub before removing his hand and stepped out onto the porch. "Get some rest," he said before turning away.

Donna didn't wait to watch him walk down the driveway before shutting the door. She locked the deadbolt and leaned against the door. She spotted the phone in the kitchen and thought about calling her parents.

She stopped herself. What if he was just being nice and he got fired because of her? She let out a sigh. She would tell Lisa. If he did anything else like this, then she would tell her parents.

With her mind made up she pushed away from the door and made her way back to her bedroom for a much-needed nap.

**A/N: **It has been a while since I've updated. I'm not sure how people read this. I'm a little rusty, so forgive me if this chapter was rough. Let me know what you think.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **It was late when I wrote this. I'm not sure if I'm moving to quickly, but I decided to up the pace a little. Thanks for reading and as always, constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks for the advice **VampPhan.**

Richard absently rubbed his fingers together as he lay awake in bed. He couldn't sleep. He had only known her for a few days and he already could not get her off of his mind.

He kept thinking about how soft her skin had been. It had made his heart race. That white tank top that showed off her curves had not helped either. He had struggled not to turn around in her driveway and go back.

He kept imagining her rushing back to the bathroom and the surprised expression on her face when he had handed her the paper towel. She had needed him in that moment. Some twisted part of him wanted her to need him more.

Tomorrow was the football game. He knew she would be there. He had overheard her friend- Leslie or Lola, he couldn't remember. The girl had been talking loudly with another boy. They were talking about dinner after the game.

He frowned. He did not like the idea of Donna going to dinner with some random boy. He freely admitted to himself that he was jealous. Why did someone else get her company while he only got to spend only a little time with her?

He rolled over onto his side and glanced at the clock: 1:30 A.M. 11 and a half hours until he saw her again. If she was feeling better, a little voice in his head reminded him.

Where were her parents? He shook his head. It didn't matter where they were. He could look after her.

The numbers on the clock changed: 1:33 A.M. He let out a frustrated sigh. He wouldn't be able to sleep until he saw her again.

He switched the bedside lamp on and swung his bare feet onto the cold, hardwood floor. Without thinking he pulled on a fresh pair of blue jeans from his dresser. He didn't bother changing out of the grey t-shirt he had worn to bed.

He fumbled around for a pair of socks and quickly slipped them on. Sneakers. Where had he tossed them? He spotted them under the corner of the bed.

After tying his shoelaces into a sloppy knot, he tucked his wallet into his back pants pocket and grabbed his keys on the way out. He didn't bother to check if he had locked the door.

He arrived at her house within fifteen minutes. He had switched the lights off in his truck. He didn't want anyone to see him. Whatever sane part of his mind that had warned him this was a bad idea had been ignored by the lust he unexplainably felt for her.

He thought back to when he had gone into her house earlier. The only bedrooms he had seen were on the other side of the house, facing the woods. He was tempted to get out of the truck and walk around, but thought better of it.

The sound of an approaching car startled him. He crouched down into his seat and waited for it to pass. He suddenly realized how stupid he was for parking outside of his student's house at 1:45 in the morning. Someone might mistake him for a burglar or something worse. He couldn't imagine having to explain to Donna why he was sitting outside of her house if a policeman decided to stop.

He waited until the car was out of site before cranking the ignition and turning around. He hoped she would be in class tomorrow.


	12. Chapter 12

In her sleepy haze she stumbled into the dining room. The vomiting had passed, but now she felt as if she could drink a gallon of water and still be thirsty. She was sure that she had even dreamed about drinking water because of her dry mouth.

She fumbled around in the dark until she was able to find a glass from the cabinet. She reached for the sink nozzle and flinched when a burst of water shot out of the sprayer and landed directly on her face.

Joey, she mentally groaned. He had tied a rubber band around the handle as one of his latest practical jokes. She vowed to return the favor later. She filled the glass and greedily welcomed the cool water down her throat.

A bright pair of headlights suddenly blinded her followed by the squealing of tires. The vehicle turned away and she was able to see the truck clearly. She felt her heart skip a beat. Mr. Fenton drove a truck exactly like it.

Donna slammed the glass down and hurried back to her room. She anxiously paced back and forth, thinking of what to do. Her parents would probably tell her that she had been dreaming, or that it was a coincidence and Lisa—she stopped. Lisa would know what to do.

She glanced at the clock: 2:00 A.M. It was early, but it wasn't the first time they had called one another in the early hours of the morning. She grabbed the cell phone from her dresser and dialed the number that had been committed to memory.

Four rings later a drowsy voice answered. "If there isn't blood, I'm hanging up," Lisa grumbled.

"Lisa!" Donna whispered into the phone. "I think I just saw Fenton's truck outside of my house."

"What?" Lisa said, suddenly alert. "Are you sure it was his?"

"I'm eighty percent sure."

Lisa paused for a moment. "Why would he be outside of your house?"

"I don't know, but there's more." Donna told Lisa about Fenton's visit and made sure to mention the creepy hand rub on her shoulder.

"That is creepy," Lisa agreed.

"What are you going to do?"

Donna started to pace again. "I don't know. If it wasn't him I could get him fired."

"Do you want to come over? I can tell my mom that you had a fight with your parents."

Donna chuckled. "Then your mom would promptly return me here and ask what the fight was about."

Lisa laughed. "Maybe she'll make cookies?"

Donna snorted. She felt calmer. "Thanks for the offer. Maybe it wasn't him."

"Alright. I'm going back to bed. Tell me if anything else weird happens."

Donna mumbled a 'good bye' and collapsed onto the bed. She would tell her mother everything after the football game tomorrow.

*****

"Stupid!" Richard muttered to himself as he showered. He hadn't slept after coming home last night. He had been too worried about someone seeing him. It didn't matter. The streetlight had gone out and his license plate wouldn't have been visible.

The sudden drop in water temperature drew him back to the present. He hurried and finished.

Richard rushed to get ready. The bus always arrived at 7:15 in the parking lot. All he wanted was a glimpse or something to know if she would be there.


End file.
